PIL in Madras HC seeks fixation of Chennai Metro fares on par with suburban services

A PIL has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Chennai Metro Rail Corporation to fix its fares on par with that of suburban train services.

In the petition, MGR Viswanathan, a resident of suburb Pattabiram, also sought for a direction the metro rail corporation to fix the minimum fare for travel by metro rail at Rs five.

He claimed in his petition that the BJP, which heads the NDA government at the Centre, had in the past assured to fix the fares of the Chennai Metro on par with the suburban train fares.

The fare in suburban electric train service from Chennai Central (Park) to Trisulam (Chennai airport), a distance of 18km is only Rs five and the ticket fare of suburban electric train from Chennai Beach to Tambaram (27 km) is Rs 10 only, the petitioner submitted.

On the other hand, the fare to travel by metro rail from Chennai Central to airport is Rs 60, he contended.

The petitioner said he had previously written to the authorities concerned including on January 17.

As there was no response from the authorities he was filing the present PIL, he submitted.